Bhubaneswar: Conditions have become favourable for the southwest monsoon to advance into parts of Odisha within the next two to three days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday while issuing an orange warning for thunderstorms and gusty winds in several districts of the state.
According to the midday weather bulletin issued by the Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, the southwest monsoon has further advanced into more parts of Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar. The IMD said weather conditions are now conducive for its further advance into parts of Odisha during the next 48 to 72 hours.
Light to moderate rainfall and thunderstorms were reported at isolated places across Odisha during the past 24 hours.
Rairakhol in Sambalpur district, Pottangi in Koraput and Nilgiri in Balasore district recorded the highest rainfall of 3 cm each. Several places in Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur and Kandhamal districts also received moderate rainfall.
The IMD has issued an orange warning for Friday, forecasting thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty surface winds reaching 50-60 kmph at isolated places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Sundargarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Puri, Khurda and Nayagarh districts.
A yellow warning has been issued for the remaining districts, where thunderstorms with wind speeds of 40-50 kmph are likely. Hot and humid weather conditions may also prevail at isolated places in several coastal districts.
For June 12-13, the IMD has forecast widespread rainfall and thunderstorms across the state. Heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds is likely at isolated places in Kendrapara, Cuttack, Mayurbhanj, Koraput and Malkangiri districts, prompting another orange warning.
The weather office has also warned of heavy rainfall in parts of northern and southern Odisha between June 13 and June 16, particularly in Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Kandhamal, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri and Gajapati districts.
The IMD said strong winds could cause damage to standing crops, banana plantations, power and communication lines, and vulnerable structures. Localised flooding, waterlogging in low-lying urban areas and traffic disruptions are also possible during periods of intense rainfall.
Meanwhile, temperatures showed mixed trends across the state. Bolangir recorded the highest maximum temperature at 41 degrees Celsius, while Koraput registered the lowest minimum temperature at 20.8 degrees Celsius. The IMD has forecast no significant change in day temperatures during the next 24 hours, followed by a gradual fall of 2-4 degrees Celsius over the subsequent six days.
For Bhubaneswar and its adjoining areas, the IMD has forecast a partly cloudy sky with the possibility of rain or thunderstorms during the next 24 hours. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to hover around 39 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius, respectively.
